A rare marble sculpture that spent more than 70 years in a garden, mistaken for a garden ornament, is now poised to sell for as much as £18,000 at auction. The lichen-covered bust, dating back to 1854, was discovered by Thomas Jenner-Fust, director of Chorley's Auctioneers, during a routine house valuation in the Cotswolds.
The family had believed the artwork to be a reconstituted stone bust, unaware of its true origin and value. It was identified as the work of Harriet Goodhue Hosmer, a pioneering 19th-century American artist and feminist figure. Jenner-Fust noted that the find serves as a reminder that valuable objects are often found in plain sight rather than hidden away.
The sculpture depicts Daphne, a figure from Greek mythology, and bears the inscription "me fecit Roma," meaning "Rome made me." This particular work is Hosmer's debut sculpture, with only a small number ever produced. Historians from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York confirm that only three verified marble versions exist, all of which are currently displayed in museums across the United States.
Harriet Goodhue Hosmer, born in Massachusetts in 1830, was a trailblazer in a field predominantly occupied by men. She established an international reputation while based in Rome, becoming widely recognized as the first professional female sculptor in the U.S. Hosmer was also known for her openly gay identity during a period when same-sex relationships faced significant social condemnation.
It remains unclear how the sculpture arrived in the Cotswolds, but the family presumes an ancestor purchased it at auction in the mid-1900s. The homeowners expressed surprise at the discovery, with Jenner-Fust observing that they had been "blinded by familiarity" after decades of the piece being a fixture in their garden. He urged others to be thorough when clearing out older properties, emphasizing the potential for overlooked treasures.
The sculpture is scheduled to be auctioned at Chorley's Auctioneers in Gloucester.